Thanks everyone for your replies on my query as to what this book was!
I've received lots of information and I've been told that it's customary
for me to follow-up and let you know what I've found out.

- I received confirmation from several respondants that it is *not* written
in Coptic.

- The book is written in Ethiopic, more precisely Ge'ez or Amharic (if more
recent)- the language of Christian Ethiopians. Several of you have sent me
this website where I could see for myself:
http://www.omniglot.com/writing/ethiopic.htm

- According to just one respondant, this is one of the ''Magic Books''
which is the ''Ehtiopian Bndlet of Righteousness''. E.A.W.Budge has made
an English translation which I will hunt down. I managed to find a photo of
it online and it is very similar to mine - though it is written on
parchment and not leather (don't know if this distinction matters):
http://www.hmml.org/20040210_Archive/resources/EthiopiaExhibit/Bandlet.html

- Acoording to another respondant, this is a syllabary and a couple of
others have told me that it's a Lithurgical text (this information does not
necessarily conflict or agree with the previous statement)

- I received a recommendation to contact a German scholar who has written a
book in Ge'ez - which I will contact.

- I did get one complaint on the quality of the photos ; ) - sorry I don't
have a really steady hand but I will invest in a stand for my digital camera.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to look at the book and comment
-- if you have new infromation to share please feel free to send it to me!